“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett has been charged with disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, the Cook County States Attorney says. Smollett’s defense attorneys say they plan to mount an aggressive air tight defense, but if the actor is found guilty of the felony charge, legal experts say he could spend time behind bars.
He is facing prison time and the implosion of his career if it turns out he lied about being the target of a hate crime, legal and public relations experts say.
“The best thing that Jussie can do is pray and pray a lot,” said Ronn Torossian, founder of 5W Public Relations. “If he made it up, he has big problems in both the court of law and the court of public opinion.”
The “Empire” star claimed he was beaten up on Jan. 29 by two men who used racial and homophobic slurs. Smollett’s co-stars and colleagues on “Empire,” celebrities such as Ellen Page and Zendaya, and public figures such as Sen. Kamala Harris rallied behind the actor, releasing statements of support. However, Smollett’s account is now being challenged, with police investigating whether or not he paid two acquaintances, Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, to stage the attack.
The actor’s saga is now almost a month in the making. It culminates when the 36-year-old faces a judge Thursday.
Miller says the charge carries the possibility Smollett could serve one to three years in jail if convicted.
“Do I think that he’s going to end up getting some jail time if in fact he’s convicted of it? And he is presumed to be innocent. Well, it’s hard to say because he really has no felony background. I understand he did have a little problem out in L.A. with giving false information and a DUI, but under Illinois law there’s a presumption of probation in cases like this.”